Device for preventing hail.



N0. 70l,907. Patented lune l0, I902. D. MAGGIURA 81. P. & E. BLANCHI.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING HAIL.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 70l,907. Patented lune I0, I902. D. MAGGIU'RA & P. & E. BLANCHI.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING HAIL.

(Applicatzon filed Oct. 26, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

J 6 H l h H. k I: n u I flf lflff l ln Pol -w .P F illll m1... I ll 1..-...

M in ass 65' No. 701,907. Patented lune l0, I902. D. MAGGIORA & P. &. E. BLANQHI.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING HAIL.

(Application filed Oct- 28, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

DEME'IRIQ MAGGIORA, PAOLO BLANCHI, AND ERNESTO BLADCH'IQQQE;

TURIN,

ITALY.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING HAIL.-

srncrmcarrxon forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,907, dated June 10,1902.

Original application filed Jenner-3 28.1901. Serial Ito-45,177. Divided and this application filed ctobe r 26, 19(l1. Serial vNo. 80,132- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DEMETRIO MAGGIORA, PAOLO BLANOHI, and ERNESTO BLANCHI, subjects of the King of Italy, and residents of Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Preventing Hail, of which the following is a specification, the present application being a division of our prior application, Serial No. 45,177, filed January 28, 1901.

Our present invention relates to improved devices for preventing hail; and it consists of the construction and com bination of parts fully described and claimed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the improved apparatus, the section being on line X Y, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section on lineR Z, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line V W, Fig. 2.. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line S T, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adiagrammatical view showing a removable generator. Fig. 6 is a detail view of parts hereinafter described.

Broadly stated, the invention comprises, first, a generator serving to produce a suitable gas to be mixed with atmospheric air for the purpose of producing an explosive compound; second, a gun or similar device in which is efiected the explosion of the mixture of gases,and,third, the devices for electrically operating the apparatus, igniting the mixture at a distance.

The generator hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings is arranged to produce acetylene gas, though if properly modified it may serve to produce any other suitable gas, such as hydrogen and the like. Said generator comprises fourteen closedmetal boxes A, filled with calcium carbid. The number and size of said'boxes may of course be varied as desired. Each box A is provided with two tubes B 0, preferably made of lead, the tube B extending to the bottom of the box and connected to the water-feeder D, while thetube 0 is inserted into the c'over plate of the box and extended to a slight distance into said box. The tubes 0 are connected to a common collecting-pipe E, leading the gas produced into a gasholder G.

The water f eedcr D consists ofa tank into which extend the tubes B. The upper mouths T of the latter are not located in a common horizontal plane, but said mouths are all 10-,

cated at difierent heights. The bottom part of the tank Dis connected, through a pipe D,

provided with a two-way cock and a regulator L, toa reservoir I; 1

The gun or similar device'consists'of a metal chamber F, into which. passes acetylene gas through the tube M, provided with perforations in order to uniformly distribute the gas through said chamber-and produce a homogeneous mixture of gas'and air, the'cham'ber containing about twelve per cent. of air. The tube M is provided at K with a small flapvalve, preventing the gas during the exploback intothe chamber F after each explorsion.

P represents an electric igniter producing the explosion bylmeans of an electric spark.

The chamber F is provided with an outwardly-flaring mouth'Q, serving to slightly divert the gases into the atmosphere.

The electric arrangement comprises a relay R, receiving the electric current from a central station through the agency of a line and ground wire. Said relay closes the circuit of a battery P, connected to the gun, and two electromagnets adapted to open and close the valve V,-admitting gas from the gas-holder into the gun. The quantity of gas admitted into the gun is regulated by the time during which said valve remains open. A second line-wire and a second relay are provided to close the circuit between the battery and a coil, the latter inducing the current between the points of the igniter P to produce the explosion of the explosive mixture.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When the gas-holder G is moved down.- wardly by reason of the consumption of gas in the gun F, the finger 1 engages the finger 2 of the two-way cock 0 and turns the latter to an angle of about forty-five degrees, whereby the regulator L, filled with water, will be in communication with the distributor D when water arrives at the mouth a of the first tube B, through which the water contained in the regulator L will enter the first box A. Thus a great quantity of acetylene gas will be instantaneously produced, which gas flows -through the pipes C and E into the gas-holder- G, which is moved upwardly. In this movement the finger 3 engages the finger 4, which operates the cock 0 to connect the reservoir 1 again to the regulator L. Said regulator serves to contain always the same quantity of water, which then flows into the tank D and the first box A and afterward into the second and third, and so on. Therefore it will be seen that the apparatus operates quite automatically. WVhen all the boxes are filled with water, the cover-plates thereof are removed and other boxes filled with carbid are substituted therefor.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that we provide a very economical apparatus for producing explosions for the purpose of preventing hail, said apparatus being adapted to be operatedsimultaneously or separately from a central station located at any desired distance from the ground to be protected against hail.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the character set forth,

the combination of a plurality of closed boxes filled with substances to produce explosive gas by means of a suitable liquid, means for introducing liquid successively into said boxes, a suitable gas-holder,.and communicative connections between the latter and the boxes, with a suitable explosion-chamber and communicative connections between the latter and the gas-holder, substantially as set forth.

2. In an'apparatusofthe characterset forth, the combination of a plurality of closed boxes filled with substances to produce explosive gas by means of a suitable liquid, means for introducing liquid successively into said boxes, a suitable gas-holder and communicative connections between the latter and the boxes, with a suitable explosion-chamber, an outwardly-flaring open mouth on the upper end thereof, communicative connections between the gas-holderand the explosion-chamber, means for admitting air into the explo sion-chamber after each explosion, and an electric device for igniting the explosive mixture in said chamber, from a distant station, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

DEMETRIO MAGGIORA. PAOLO BLANOHI. ERNESTO BLANCIII. Witnesses:

HUGO PIZZOTTI, MAUROQUO TIRONE. 

